Culling-table for oysters



[Vl- G. JONES. CULUNG TABLE FOR OYSTERS. APPLICATION FIL'ED 1A-.'5,i92:. 1 877,

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ltfYRON Gr. JONES, 0F IfiAUR/ICETO'WN, NEW JERSEY.

CULLING-TABLE FOP, OYSTERS.

Application filed. January 5, 1921.

To all co 710m '55 may concern Be it known that l, Mynon G. Jonas, a citizen of the United State, residing at lilauricetown, in the county of Cumberland and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Culling l ables for Oysters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in culling tables for oysters, and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character adapted to be mounted on the deck of an oyster boat and which is provided with means for dischargin the culls overboard without undue labor or effort on the part of the operators.

Another object of the invention is to provide a culling table for oysters which is adapted to be mounted upon the deck of boat and at such elevation to permit the operators arranged at opposite sides thereof to cull the oysters without the necessity of assuming a stooping or other uncomfortable position and wherein a conveying means travels along each side of the table to discharge the culls overboard.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a culling table for oysters including novel and improved means whereby the work of culling" the oysters is materially facilitated and in a manner to increase the output.

A still further object of the invention is to provide aculling table for oysters including novel and improved means for discharging the culls overboard and which also operates to decided advantage to effect a saving of youn oysters.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved culling' table for oysters whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less eX- pensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be herelnafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan illustrat- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May ill), 1921.

Serial No. 435,198.

a culling table for oysters constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my nvention and in applied position, the ad acent or coacting portion of the boat being shown in fragment.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the deviceas illustrated in Fig. 1, and

3 is an enlarged fragmentary seetional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of 1. y As disclosed in the accompanying draw- D denotes the mid-deck of a boat of a type generally employed by oystermen and at substantially the transverse center of said mid-deck is mounted a power plant P of any desired type but preferably of the character generally employed upon boats of this type for operating the oyster dredge.

At opposite sides of the plant P and eX- tending transversely of the deck D are the cullingtables T, said tables being in alinement and extending from a. point immediately adjacent the power plant to the side rail of the deck D. The tables T are also supported at a desired elevation above the deck D and at a height whereby operators arranged at opposite sides of each of the tables may readily and conveniently cull the oysters deposited on the tables without the necessity of said operators stooping' over or assuming any other uncomfortable position or one which would be tiring to the person.

Each of the tables T along its lOIlgitudlnal marginal portion is provided with the channels or trenches l of desired width and depth, each of said channels being coextensive in length with the length of the table and having its outer end open. v

Traveling within each of the channels or trenches 1 is the upper stretch of an endless belt 2, said be t passing around a pulley 3 positioned adjacent the outer end'of the trench and a pulley at adjacent the inner end of the trench.

The pulleys 8 coacting with the belts 2 of each of the tables are arranged on a common shaft 5 extending transversely of the outer end of the table and suitably positioned therebelow. The pulleys 4 are carried by a common shaft 6 extending transversely of the table T adjacent the inner end thereof and arranged therebelow. The shaft 6 is in driven connection, as at 7, with the power plant P, the connection being such as to cause the upper stretch of the belt 1 to travel outwardly so that the culls or the like deposited upon the upper portion of the belt will be conveyed toward the side of the boat and discharged overboard.

I find it of advantage to provide each of the belts 1 with the protecting plates 8 each of which has its central portion anchored, as at 9, to the belt. Ihese plates 8 serve to prevent cutting or undue wear upon the belt 2 proper by shells or the like culled from the oysters deposited upon the tables T.

Oysters are deposited in a well known manner by a dredge upon each of the tables T and operators stand at opposite sides of each of said tables with preferably two operators at each side. These operators pick out the oysters and deposit the same in baskets or other receptacles suitably positioned upon the table or otherwise as preferred and shells, young oysters or the like are moved by the hands of the operator into a trench l and the belt 2 traveling in said trench carries such matter to the side of the boat and discharges the same overboard. By this means, the operators are not required to shovel overboard the culls, where by the labor of culling the oysters is materially reduced with the output materially increased. Furthermore, with the use of my improved culling tables, a pronounced saving is made in young oysters which must be returned to the wate This is due to the fact that such oysters are not killed by the shovels or similar instruments but, on the contrary, are returned by the belts 2 to the water in the best condition.

Irom the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a culling table for oysters constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practlce except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a boat deck, a culling table for oysters disposed across the deck and leading to side thereof, an endless member extending along said table, and means for moving said endless member, aid member including an upper str tch travel-- ing outwardly of the table and discharging over the side or" the deck, said table having extending th'erealong a channel in which the upper stretch of the endless member travels.

2. In combination with the deck of a boat, a pair of tables supported upon the deck and alined transversely of the deck, the outer ends of the tables terminating adjacent th side of the boat, a source of power positioned between the inner ends Oi the tables, endless members extending along the opposite side portions of the tables, each of said endless members including an upper stretch overlying the'table, and operative connections between the source of power and the endless members for moving the upper stretches thereof outwardly of the tables.

3. In combination with a boat deck. culling table for oysters disposed across the deck and leading to a side thereof, an endless member extending along said table, means for moving said endless member, said member including an u per stretch traveling outwardly of the table and discharging over the side of the deck, protecting plates disposed along the endless member, and means for connecting the central portion of each of said protecting plates to the member. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

MYRON G. JONES. 

